Before the 91-year-old president spoke, the parliamentary speaker also warned against disrupting proceedings.

After Mugabe began speaking, it was not long before it dawned on those present that they had heard it all before, our reporter says.

But during the speech, the MDC members sat quietly, while ruling Zanu-PF party supporters clapped at regular intervals, Reuters news agency reports.

The president made reference to the country amending labour laws to protect workers from arbitrary termination of employment, efforts being made to stimulate investment and the country registering modest growth in tourism and agriculture, our correspondent says.

The first time Mugabe read the speech opposition MPs sang protest songs against his ten-point plan to solve the country’s economic crisis.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba said the error in delivering the wrong speech was “sincerely regretted”.

He added that the president would read the correct speech later at a hotel in the capital Harare, Reuters reports.